Study Methods Set For Revamp: Thai Education Minister

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Study methods set for revamp
Patcharee Luenguthai
The Nation



Drastic changes needed at all levels: Education Minister

BANGKOK: -- New teaching and learning methodologies are being developed as part of education reform to prepare and equip students for the world they will encounter in the future, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said in an exclusive interview with Nation Group.

"Education development is a long-term process; we cannot look for a quick fix. That's the reason most political parties actually focus on other tasks that have faster outcomes. Right now, the Education Ministry needs to make drastic changes to the education system at all levels, otherwise we will be letting down future generations of students. The Pheu Thai Party-led government, particularly Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, can be said to have taken these calls seriously," said the minister.

However, Phongthep said the process of education reform would be different from past efforts, with a more practical and effective approach being taken. The ministry would prioritise curriculum reform, testing, academic performance assessment, admissions, teaching quality and student load in the classroom, not structure.

Curriculum content for the kindergarten, primary, secondary and undergraduate levels would be revised. In the traditional approach, students have mainly been taught in the form of rote learning, in which they sit and passively listen to the teachers. This is unsuitable for the younger generation if it is to compete in the present-day global society.

Hence, the ministry needs to develop a new approach, nurturing engaged students to learn critical thinking, creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

The new curriculum and teaching system is aimed at improving the quality of interaction between teachers and learners, so that the latter can be more engaged in learning and achieve better education outcomes.

A sub-committee chaired by Special Professor Phavit Thongrot, the senior adviser to the education minister, is now working on curriculum reform and improvement of student textbook quality. The new curriculum is expected to be complete in the next six to eight months.

According to the new method, Phongthep said, different approaches should be used for students at each level. From kindergarten to the upper primary levels, he said, the curriculum should emphasise language and communications skills, which are fundamental to achieving at higher study levels. "Brain-based learning" will also be applied.

For the secondary level, students will be allowed greater opportunities to select subjects in which they have an interest. For example, general subjects like Thai and world history would be compulsory, but in-depth studies in certain subjects can be chosen as electives by interested students. Moreover, study of history must lead to analysis and learning so that it can be applied in real life, the minister said.

In addition, emphasis will be placed on skills deemed essential for Thai people by bringing current social problems, including those relating to the democratic process, into the draft curriculum, as creativity and ICT (information and communications technology) skills are needed.

Phongthep said the student load in the classroom is another crucial factor in determining student quality. At present, secondary students in Thailand study 1,200 hours per academic year and primary students study 1,000 hours. Thai students spend more time studying than their counterparts in many countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and South Korea, but they know less.

UNESCO recommends about 800 hours per year. The Singapore government initiated a "Teach Less, Learn More" programme in 2006. The programme helps teachers and schools focus on the fundamentals of effective teaching, so that students are engaged, learn with understanding, and are developed holistically, beyond merely preparing for tests and examinations.

"We aim to reduce the curriculum load on the students to 800 hours a year, so that students will be able to learn more through activities out of the classroom. This will provide students with the time to take part in learning activities that will help them to think more critically and creatively."

Meanwhile, higher education institutions would be required to produce students in response to the demands of the workforce. In addition to developing the country's human resources, the forthcoming launch of the Asean Economic Community in 2015 is added impetus for the revision.

In an effort to cater to workforce demand trends, the ministry aims to increase the ratio of vocational to general academic students at the secondary level from 35:65 to 50:50. This will produce sufficient numbers of graduates with technical skills and knowledge.

In addition, the ministry will provide more support for vocational colleges. For example, the ministry will sign a collaboration agreement with giant German firms including BMW and Porsche to provide workplace training for vocational students.

Phongthep said institutions that provide teaching programmes have to be concerned more with demand, both at present and in the future. The government will identify a clearer picture of demand in each field to reduce oversupply and increase the number of teachers to solve shortages in some fields such as science and English. Pre-qualification assessment for undergraduates who want to study teaching programmes will also be implemented as a mechanism to improve the quality of teachers. The assessment of teacher performance standards will also be determined. At present, performance assessment is based on academic standing, which does not truly reflect the quality of teaching.

Currently, there are over 50,000 teachers in the education system nationwide, and there is redundancy in supply with about 400,00 graduates coming out of the system. Meanwhile, another 250,000 students are in the pipeline of the Teachers' Council of Thailand (Khurusapha).


-- The Nation 2013-03-18

[culicine]

It's nice rhetoric but let's see some action! How about reducing class sizes as well. 50-60 in a class all sitting in rows is NOT conducive to activities which lead to the development of problem solving and creative thinking skills. Then the whole notion of the function of a teacher (from a master of all knowledge to a facilitator) needs to change. Let's start there before they we even think about changing the curriculum.

[MaxLee]

NEW, NEW, NEW!!!!!!

The NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM of Thailand is a VERY NEW SYSTEM, really, really new, with more of the same:

- even more exams, exams and more and more pre-pre-pre admission test exams aka more and more complicated rules and regulations to pass the pre-pre-pre-admissions, sucking the money out of students and their families

- the rich kids get a free pass to pass the test and get their degree bought by their powerful parents

- more Teachers from Britain, Australia, USA to be imported to teach English aka get ripped off by Thailand's run teachers' agencies, to teach in classroom of 100-300 students

- vocational students are getting treated like the scum of Thai society as usual, so the vocational students will resent the rich and powerful even more.

- most kids these days do not appreciate dirty work, and try to get job where they don't soil their hands

- Language learning and business administration and tourism are way overrated jobs, when in reality Thailand needs more job vacancies in engineering, machinery, social security, environmental science, computer technology science or agricultural science; but of course these jobs have a bad reputation, and rich parents would lose FACE if they send their kids to such "DIRTY INSTITUTES"

Bottom line most important of all, ZERO has been done over the year to develop SOCIAL BEHAVIOR NORMS aka DISCIPLINE AND RESPECT TOWARDS OTHERS, first; too much has been wasted on so called academics and getting good grades by all means

Thailand the hub of mass-produced unemployed degree students...

[BuddyPinkham]

It is going to take allot more than revising study methods. They need to start with ACCOUNTABILITY with both students and teachers. "Cheating" is rampant by both groups which is mostly overlooked and does nothing to help either. Being in the education world for a "100" years (it seems), more has to be done here to develop an educational system that works and one that lets everyone know CHEATING is not acceptable. There are so many teachers here (both Thai and foreigner) that are not qualified (either with no teaching experience or fake diplomas) no wonder these kids do not learn. I worked on my State Governor's panel for the "Learning Results" for each grade level and level of ability of children. This needs to be done here, BUT nothing will be done because they do not want the help of expert foreigners because we "just don't understand".

[aidenai]

Currently, there are over 50,000 teachers in the education system nationwide,

Bad mistake. There are about 680,000* Thai teachers in the formal school system (*MOE statistics 2009).

[cup-O-coffee]

The Nation just wasted 908 words worth of space.

[Payboy]

Drastic changes needed at all levels: Education Minister

BANGKOK: -- New teaching and learning methodologies are being developed as part of education reform to prepare and equip students for the world they will encounter in the future, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said in an exclusive interview with Nation Group.

We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious.

[siampolee]

That comment concerning 50,000 teachers as opposed to actually around 680,000 teachers really highlights just how well informed and thus interested in education Phongthep Thepkanjana actually is.

He can't , or won't lower himself to even ask his subordinates for the correct statistics as such a request might well diminish his status amongst his minions.

In reality he and his ilk don't want the masses educated.

Education is a dangerous weapon as people start to ask awkward questions as to why there is so much corruption in government departments and daily life in general.

Treat education as you would mushroom cultivation.

Keep everything and everyone in the dark and spread copious amounts of male bovine fecal matter around.

Edited March 18, 2013 by siampolee

[FunFon]

The Ministry is the source of the problem, no way they'll be able to figure out how to solve it. They don't actually have the expertise themselves, in very very few positions are those hiring teachers qualified to make any judgement as to quality of the applicants.

Outsource the whole lot to a private consortium from Singapore, Finland, Shanghai etc.

Have the availability of the better levels of government-subsidized education available on a very strictly monitored corruption-free competitive system, to start out with maybe only 5% of the students would qualify, as it broadens say in ten years up to 30%. Payments to the consortium scale with externally-validated standardized test results.

Regardless of location, have facilities for country students to board in region centres or Bangkok.

In the meantime everyone else continues with the shamelessly poor current methods.

[thaicbr]

The 50,000 teachers statement is probably in relation to the schools he would send his kids to. Because you can bet your arse his kids won't / didn't go to government school with 50-60 students in a class.

[manstr23]

What the Thai educational system needs is someone like Michelle Rhees, former Ed. Councilor of Washington DC. Multiplied by 1000.

On the other hand she probably be killed within a week.The establishment just does not like the masses to be educated.

Man

[Stradavarius37]

Anything that pushes critical thinking over rote learning is good. I wish them luck. I am doing my part.

[ragamuffin]

Difficult to implement a teaching approach opposed to the national culture.

[aidenai]

Difficult to implement a teaching approach opposed to the national culture.

This one has dept and is IMHO completely true. Any Ministry of Education can have ambitious ideas but if the country's society and community sticks to its current customs and beliefs, its way of life and its social organisation, it won't go anywhere.